Morning arrived quietlyâbut peace did not.
Inside the tent, Arthur lay sprawled across the ground, fast asleep, his body still recovering from the brutal training of the previous day. For a brief moment, there was silence... the kind that almost felt earned.
Thenâ
SPLASH.
A bucket of ice-cold water crashed over him.
Arthurâs entire body jolted violently as he shot upright, gasping, his soaked hair clinging to his face. "The hellâ?!" he snapped, his voice sharp with shock and irritation as water dripped down his clothes.
He looked upâ
And froze.
Standing before him were three young women, all dressed in fitted training suits. At first glance, they looked nearly identicalâclearly sistersâbut the differences revealed themselves quickly.
The first had long dark hair tied in a high ponytail, her sharp eyes calm and composed. The secondâs hair was shorter, her features softer, her lips curved into a gentle smile. The third wore her hair in a neat braid, her gaze steady and observant.
All three stood straight, disciplined, their athletic builds evident even in stillness.
The one in front stepped forward slightly and bowed. "Forgive us, young master, I am Nira," she said politely.
The second followed with a graceful bow. "I am Mila."
The third inclined her head. "And I am Sila."
Then, in perfect unison, they said, "We apologize for interrupting your sleep... but Lady Yuna ordered us to wake you."
Arthur blinked once... then twice.
"...This is my life now, huh?" he muttered internally, still dripping wet.
Before he could respond, a familiar voice echoed from behind them. "You should see your face right now."
Arthur leaned slightly to look past themâ
And there she was.
Yuna walked toward him, laughing softly.
She looked... radiant.
Her pink hair flowed loosely behind her, swaying gently in the morning breeze, slightly damp. She wore a fitted Chinese-style training outfit that wrapped around her body perfectly, elegant yet practical, accentuating her curves while allowing complete freedom of movement.
Arthur stared for a momentâ
Then frowned immediately.
"How long are you going to keep throwing water on me?" he asked irritably.
Yuna crossed her arms, unfazed. "If you donât want that, wake up at six sharp tomorrow," she replied casually.
Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Thenâ
Yunaâs eyes narrowed.
She wasnât looking at him casually anymoreâshe was observing him.
Carefully.
Her gaze sharpened.
"...His breathing."
Arthurâs chest rose and fell steadily.
Iron Breathing.
Natural.
Effortless.
Yunaâs expression shifted... just slightly.
Then her eyes widened a fraction.
"...Wait."
She stepped closer, her tone changing. "Arthur... remove your shirt."
Arthur instantly crossed his arms over his chest, backing away slightly. "So that was your plan all along, huh?" he said dramatically. "I knew it. I refuse. I want to remain pure until I meet my fated one."
A vein popped on Yunaâs forehead.
She turned her head slightly and said flatly, "...Grab him."
Before Arthur could reactâ
The three sisters moved.
Fast.
In a blink, Nira seized his left arm, Mila grabbed his right, and Sila locked his shoulders in place.
Arthur struggled immediately. "Heyâwhat the hell?! Let go!"
He twisted, trying to break freeâ
Then froze.
"...Theyâre strong."
Much stronger than he expected.
Yuna began walking toward him slowly.
Arthur panicked. "Noânoâdonât come closer!" he shouted. "I still have dreams! A future! A wife!"
Yunaâs eye twitched again. "Stop acting like an idiot."
RIP.
With one swift motion, she tore his shirt apart.
Arthur froze.
Silence followed.
Yunaâs expression changed instantly.
Her hand moved to his chest, her fingers pressing lightly against his skin.
Her breath hitched.
"...How is this possible?"
Her eyes widened as realization struck.
"...All of them..."
She looked up at him sharply. "Arthur... what did you do after training yesterday?"
Arthurâs mind raced.
"...She noticed."
He shrugged casually. "Nothing. I just went to sleep."
Yuna narrowed her eyes. "Are you telling me the truth?"
Arthur met her gaze calmly. "You can check the CCTV if you donât believe me."
She stared at him for a moment... then exhaled slowly.
"...Do you feel anything different?" she asked.
Arthur thought for a moment. "Yeah... I feel extremely cold for some reason, and it keeps getting colder," he said, frowning slightly.
He continued, "My perception feels... wider. If I focus, I can see even the smallest movements."
He paused, then added, "But when I do that, my eyes start hurting."
He clenched his fist lightly. "And my body feels restless... like itâs burning more energy than usual."
Yunaâs expression turned serious.
Without warningâ
She moved.
Press.
Press.
Press.
Her fingers struck multiple points across his body with precision.
"AHâ!" Arthur flinched as sharp pain surged through him.
She continued, unrelentingâ
Press.
Press.
Thenâ
Suddenlyâ
Relief.
Arthur blinked, his body relaxing instantly. The tension vanished, replaced by a strange sense of balance.
He inhaled deeply.
He felt lighter.
Stronger.
Stable.
Like something inside him had finally settled.
"What did you do?" he asked, looking at her.
Yuna stepped back calmly. "I donât know how you did it... and I donât want to know," she said.
She looked at him seriously. "But you managed to open all 192 spiritual veins in your body."
Arthur froze.
Yuna continued, her tone steady but heavy with meaning. "Qi is the life force that flows through the human body. It moves through a hidden network of 192 spiritual veins."
She crossed her arms. "These pathways arenât physical, but they control strength, awareness, and balance."
Her gaze sharpened. "Martial artists spend years opening them slowly. The more veins you open, the stronger and more controlled your body becomes."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"But if too many open too quickly... the flow becomes unstable."
Her eyes locked onto his.
"And that can destroy your body from the inside."
Arthur swallowed.
Yuna exhaled softly. "Iâve temporarily sealed half of them until your body becomes strong enough to handle it."
She added, "Right now, your body is struggling to adapt to that much Qi."
Arthurâs eyes widened slightly.
"...I almost died without even realizing it."
He looked at her, his expression softening. "...Thanks, Yuna."
Yuna smiled faintly, her usual sharpness easing just a bit. "Donât worry about it," she said. "Thatâs what masters are for."
------
A/N:
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